Draft yoke



March 25, 1924.

B. W. KADEL DRAFT YOKE Filed Aug. 2

Patented Mar. 25, 1924;

BYERS W. KADEL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE TQH. SYIVIETG-TON ooMiaANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

DRAFT 'YoKE.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, BYERS WV. KADEL, a

citizen of the. United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft Yokes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which yoke which may be manufactured from cast steel without substantial liability of con taining shrinkage cracks or similar defects due to improper distribution of the masses of'metal. A further object of the inventionis to produce a draft yoke in which the metal is disposed in a manner enabling it'efliciently to resist the shocks and strains to which the device is subjected in service.

- A principal feature of the invention, genorally stated, consists in forming the yoke with parallel arms which are integrally: united at their rear ends by transversely extending connecting means whose forward face is adapted to engage the cushioning 36 the yoke arms in straight lines for a substantial distance rearw'ardly of the said face by which the cushioning unit is engaged.

A further primary feature of the invention 40 consists in connecting'the arms of the yoke at their rear ends by means of a plurality of spaced webs one of which is adapted to engage a draft rigging back-stop and one of which is adapted to engage the cushioning.

unit of the draft gear, the said spaced webs being themselves connected by a plurality of parallel webs disposed in transverse alinement with the yoke arms. A still further feature of the invention involves integrally connecting the arms of theyoke at their rear ends by means of a plurality of spaced webs one of which is adaptedto engage a draft rigging back-stop and one of which is designed to engage the cushioning unit of the" unit of the draft rigging, and in extending raft gear, the spaced webs being rigidly united by a plurality of rearwardly diver- 1 gent webs or flanges! Other features of the invention, residing 1n particular relations of parts and in special structural details, will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims. I

In the drawings illustrating the invention, 7 the scope whereof is pointed out in the claims,- t

Figure 1 is a view, partly in plan-and partly in horizontal section, of a draft yoke embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the construction shown in Fig. 1. FFigure 3 is a section on the line 3-3,

Figure 4 is a rear end elevation of the draft yoke.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the rear end portion of the yoke.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a draft yoke of the so-called horizontal type, that is to say, a form of yoke having parallel arms 1 disposed opposite each other in horizontal alinement. These arms, which, as is well known, are adapted to receive the cushioning unit of a draft rigging between them, are provided at their forward ends with suitable means for forming an operative connection with a car coupler. In the form of yoke shown in the drawmgs each arm 1 is provided near its forward end with a longitudinally extending slot 2 for .receiving a key adapted to pass through the slotted butt of the car coupler; and at the forward ends of said slots, the yoke arms are furnished with thickened portions 3 affording extended bearing area for the coupler connecting key when the device is subjected to draftstrains. The arms of the yoke are also shown as provided with transversely alined key slots 4 located somewhat to the rear of the slots 2. These slots 4; are for the purpose of receiving a key adapted to pass througha slotted follower block located between the yoke arms in a well While, as willbe appreciated by those skilled in the railway draft rigging art, the construction of the forward ends of the yoke arms illustrated in the drawings is specifically designed to enable the yoke to known manner at the rear end of the coupler.

form a part of what is generally designated as the Farlow two-key draft gear, the specific formof the forward end of the voke forms no" part of the present invention and is not a limitation thereof.

The yoke arms 1 are integrally united at arms 1.

The webs 5 and 6 are integrally connected by a plurality of parallel webs 7, preferably three in number, which are in transverse alinement with the yoke arms and are adapted to transmit directly to the web 6 the strains transmitted by the cushioning unit of the draft rigging to the central portion of the forward web 5. The spaced webs 5 and 6 also are preferably integrally connected by a plurality of rearwardly divergent webs 8 and 9, 9, respectively, exten formed integral therewith. To afford increased bearing area for the rear end of the cushioning unit of the draft gear the web 5 may be conveniently extended outwardly on opposite sides of the yoke arms, as indicated at 10, 10, and for the purpose of bracing such extensions the divergent webs 8 and 9 are preferably also continued beyond the yoke arms 1, as well shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. The portions of the divergent flanges on opposite sides of the yoke arms form tapering braces supporting the extensions 10 ofthe forward transverse web 5 against draft and bufling shocks imparted thereto in service.

The arms 1 are preferably continued in straight lines for some distance to the rear of the forward face of the web 5, as at 11, thus avoiding foul stresses at these places; and also for the purpose of virtually separating the stresses communicated to the cushioning unit engaging'web 5 from those of the yoke arms 1, the sections of metal 12 connecting the ends of the said web 5 to the adjacent portions of the yoke are comparatively light, thus in effect practically preventing the transmission of substantial stresses between the yoke. arms and the web 5 at these points.

The yoke, strap metal forming the arms 1 in'eifect continues around through the rear end of the yoke, as-indicated at'13 and 14,

' so that the connected webs'5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 practically constitute a framework that is cast upon a continuous yoke strap.

tudinal ribs 15 which extend on opposite sides of the junctions of the transverse web 5 with the respective yoke arms 1. These ing perpendicular to the webs 7 andwith the webs 5 and 6, minimize the crystal-- lization of the material and the formation of shrinkage cracks.

I claim 1. A 'draft yoke adapted at its forward end to, be connected to a car coupler and having a rear end adapted to engage a draft rigging back-stop, said yoke involving a pair of spaced arms adapted to re.

ceive a cushioning unit between them,'and

means integrally united to and connecting said arms at their rear ends, said'means comprising a plurality of spacedwebs one of which is adapted to engage said backstop and one of which is adapted to engage said cushioning unit,'and a plurality of parallel webs connecting said spaced webs and in transverse alinement with said arms.

2. A draft yoke adapted atits forward end to 'be connected to a car coupler and having a rear end adapted to engage a draft I rigging back-stop, said yoke involving a pair of spaced arms adapted to receive a cushioning unit between them, and means integrally united to and connecting said arms at their rear ends, said means comprising a plurality of spaced webs one of which is adapted to engage said back-stop and one of which is adapted to engage said cushioning unit, a plurality of parallel spaced webs connecting said spaced webs, and a plurality of rearwardly divergent webs connectin said spaced webs.

3. A draft yo e adapted at its forward end to be connected to a car coupler and having a rear end adapted to engage a draft rigs ging back-stop, said yoke involving a pair of spaced arms adapted to receive a cushioning unit between them,-and means integrally united to and connecting said arms at their rear ends, said means comprisin a pluralit of spaced webs one of whicl f is adapte to engage said backstop and one of which is adapted to engage said cushioning unit, and a plurality of rear- Wardly divergent webs connecting said spaced webs.

4. YA draft yoke involving a pairof spaced arms adapted at their forward ends to be connected to a car coupler, means'integrally united to and connectlng said arms at their rear ends, said means including spaced webs one of which is adapted to engage the backstop and the other of which is designed .toengage the cushioning unit, and longitudinally extending ribs projecting outwardly from said arms and extending upon opposite sides of ithe web engaging the cushioningunit.

5. A draft yoke involving a pair of spaced arms adapted to receive a cushioning 'unit between them and adapted at their forward ends to be connected to a car coupler, and means integrally united to and'c'onnecting 4 said arms atftheir rear ends, said means comprising a plurality of spaced webs one of which is adapted to engage a draft rig ging back-stop and one of which is adapted the said web which is adapted to engage ends to be-"connected to a ,car coupler, and

' means integrally united to and connecting said arms at their rear ends, said means comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced websg -one of which is adapted to en gage a backstop and the other of which is designed to engage the cushioning unit each of said arms being provided for a portion of its length with an outwardly projecting rib extending forwardly substantially from one-of said webs ,to a point in'adva-nce of the foremost one of-said webs.

- 1A draft yoke involving a pair of arms adapted tt o' receive a cushioning unit b e tween them andadapted at their forward endsfto be connected to a car coupler, and means integrally united to and connecting said arms, said means comprising a plurality of spacedvwebs one of which is adapted to engage a draft rigging back-stop and one of which is adapted to engage a cushioning unit, said arms being extended to the rear of said cushioning unit engaging web in alihement with the adjacent portions of said arins in advance of said last named web. a

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

BYERS. W. KADEL. 

